[One Day Walk] The First Step of the 750km Walking Journey: Haepalanggil Course 1

Coastal Road Connecting Yongho-dong, Nam-gu, Busan and Haeundae

‘Haepalanggil’ is a 750 km walking trail consisting of a total of 50 courses that connect the coastal paths, forest trails, and village roads along the East Coast, from Oryukdo Sunrise Park in Busan to the Unification Observatory in Goseong, Gangwon Province.

Haepalanggil is a compound word combining the East Sea’s symbol ‘rising sun,’ the blue color of the sea ‘palang,’ and the particle ‘rang,’ meaning ‘together with.’ It means ‘a path to walk together with the sound of waves while looking at the rising sun and the blue sea.’

The first course of Haepalanggil is a coastal path connecting Yongho-dong in Nam-gu, Busan, and Haeundae. Starting from Oryukdo Sunrise Park, it passes through Gwangalli Beach and APEC Beach before reaching Haeundae. This section offers not only the coastal erosion cliffs and natural scenery of the East Coast but also the vibrant and bustling tourist spots of Gwangalli and Haeundae. The total length is 16.9 km and takes about 6 hours and 30 minutes.

There are various attractions along this course. At the starting point, you can see Oryukdo, six rocky islets in front of Yongho-dong, symbolizing the vitality of Busan. The islands are divided into Bangpae Island, Sol Island, Suri Island, Songgot Island, Gul Island, and Lighthouse Island, from the closest to the mainland. The names of the islands originate from the ‘Dongnaebuji (東萊府誌),’ compiled in 1740.

Additionally, there is Igidae Park located east of Jangsan Peak’s Jararak, where dinosaur footprints can be found, and the 7.42 km-long Gwangandaegyo Bridge connecting Namcheon-dong and Centum City. Especially, Gwangandaegyo Bridge is renowned for its spectacular nightscape lighting, and the surrounding nightlife is famous for its night views, making it ideal to plan this course during the evening hours.

Walking along the course, you will encounter Dongbaek Island, which has an inscription carved on a rock by the scholar Choi Chi-won, from whom the name Haeundae originates. It is located west of Haeundae Beach and is also called ‘Ironing Board Island’ because its shape resembles an iron. It used to be an independent island, but due to sedimentation over many years, it has become connected to the mainland and linked to the sandy beach of Haeundae Beach.